When the Nazis tattooed numbers on Jewish prisoners, it was done as an affront to their religion

The Jewish prohibition against tattoos. That was just the Nazis' way of being that much more vindictive and racist. You could expect the Nazis to take that extra step to prove that they were Nazis.

It was called "commitment".

Today's American proto-fascists just can't reach that same level of commitment. They toy with it, but just can't reach it.

Now, I wouldn't call John Sununu a Nazi. Besides, he wouldn't cut it as one anyway, as slip shod as he is. However, I do understand vindictive and racist language when I hear it, and his comments about Colin Powell fit that description quite well.

Who knows, maybe Sununu really wants to step up his game to get to the Nazi level of vindictiveness and racismů One way that he can get to that level is by spewing his crap in the Original German for a change.

That way he wouldn't sound so much like a half-assed Nazi wannabe and take a stab at being the real thing for instead.

A few "Seig Heils" at the end of his sentences just might do the trick. Not to mention some goose-stepping and sporting some fabulously tailored black Hugo Boss jodhpurs.

When and if he does, we'll all know that he's stopped being a wannabe Nazi and finally made it to his much vaunted goal.

1. I'm pretty sure Sununu is not a nazi.

Frankly, calling people nazi because theyre Republicans is way past being tiresome. They want to enable rich people in looting the country's wealth; they want to impose their intrusive social values on others. They're bad. They're not loading people onto railcars. When you make the comparison, you show your historical ignorance. When you make the old "in the original German" joke, you show your lack of wit.

3. The eliminationist rhetoric does worry me...

4. "They're not loading people onto railcars." No, not yet, but given enough power with no checks....

...bad people tend to start doing what they've only thought about doing before. Making a comparison to the acts of the Nazis is not showing "historical ignorance" in my opinion. It is instead a warning of what could happen if the extreme right-wing of the GOP is allowed to take control of our government. They are evil racist individuals with no real regard for anyone they regard as inferior in any way.

You may have forgotten the failed coup attempt against FDR in 1933-1934 and the self-styled fascists involved in the plot. They were no different from the extreme right-wing of the GOP today.

If you don't like the extreme right-wing of the GOP being referred to as Nazis, and/or compared to Nazis, I suggest you simply not read those posts and move on to another thread. The references and comparisons to Nazis are NOT going to stop simply because you don't like it.

6. Ok. I'll bite

Why are you so mad? And I hope that you noticed that the only thing that I wrote that Sununu has in common with Nazis is his racist and vindictive language, which doesn't reach that level. To me, he clearly acts like a wannabe, that's his loss.

And you're upset because I threw in an old joke?

Now that you've exposed me as being un-witty, I have to confess that that line has forced me to collapse in a whimpering ball of self-doubt and inadequacy.

By the way, the Nazis looted Germany and the countries they invaded, imposed their own intrusive social values on the German citizens and the people that they conquered. So, they at least have that in common with Republicans. The GOP's propaganda is almost at the Goebbels level. They've learned some important levels there.

As I wrote before, the only difference the Republicans lack from reaching the Nazi level of commitment is their inability to step up their game to the loading people onto railcar level. But I wouldn't put it past the GOP, especially if we won't prevent them from running amuck.

We both agree that they're not, but it doesn't mean that they're no well on their way if they're not stopped.

8. Most Nazis were followers

who joined the party because it gave them permission to hate openly. Otherwise most Nazis weren't in the Jew killing business. And most of those would have never killed any Jews unless they were ordered to.

The scary thing about fascism and Nazism is that it takes a few strong leaders who are willing to pass laws and order others to do the killing because their followers will actually do the killing, even though they would never kill anyone in a normal life. It's the followers that scare the shit out of me.